El Salvador

Latin America & Caribbean·Upper middle income

Population: 6.31M; 111th of 217
GDP: $35.4B; 107th of 214 · 2024
GDP per capita: $5,580; 133rd of 214 · 2024
Life expectancy: 72.1; 136th of 217
Human development: 0.675; 123rd of 189 · 2021

Benchmarked against

El Salvador

Guatemala

Paraguay

Ecuador

Jamaica

Default peers are drawn from region, income, and bloc membership — swap in any country you like. The gray tick on each strip is the world median.

upper-middle-income, dollarized Central American economy; reliant on remittances from US; recent growth linked to infrastructure investment, consumption, and crime reduction; $1.3 billion IMF loan to address fiscal imbalances; Bitcoin adopted as legal tender; persistent poverty and large informal sector

Area: 21,041 km²
Resources: hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land
Borders: Guatemala; Honduras

Religion

who identifies with what, 2020

world view →

Christian87.1%▼ 1.2pt
Unaffiliated11.9%
Other1%▲ 1.0pt

Religious diversity: 2.65 / 10 · moderate · 106th of 193

Change markers show percentage-point shifts from 2010 to 2020 · Pew Research Center, Religious Composition 2010–2020.

Score card

quartile grades among all countries with data

A · Top quartileB · Above medianC · Below medianD · Bottom quartile

Topic

SLV

GTM

PRY

ECU

GDP

current US$

$35.4B–––

GDP per capita

current US$

–––

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

–––

GDP growth

annual %

–––

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

–––

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

–––

FDI inflows

current US$

$924M–––

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

63.4%–––

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

4.4%–––

Industry value added

% of GDP

22.4%–––

Unemployment

% of labor force

–––

Gini index

0–100

–––

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

–––

Population

people

6.31M–––

Population density

people per km²

303.1–––

Urban population

% of total

75.4%–––

Life expectancy

years at birth

–––

Fertility rate

births per woman

1.8–––

Net migration

people

-23.1K–––

Population under 15

% of total

24.8%–––

Population 65+

% of total

8.1%–––

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Health expenditure

% of GDP

9.8%–––

Physicians

per 1,000 people

–––

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

–––

Education expenditure

% of GDP

3.2%–––

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

–––

Internet users

% of population

–––

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

–––

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

–––

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

–––

Access to electricity

% of population

–––

Energy use per capita

kWh

7,157.1–––

Electricity per capita

kWh

1,009.8–––

Electricity generation

TWh

6.4–––

Renewable electricity

% of generation

–––

Fossil electricity

% of generation

–––

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

–––

CO₂ per capita

t per person

–––

Share of global CO₂

0%–––

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

–––

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

–––

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Emancipative values

Welzel index, 0–1

0.518–––

Secular values

Welzel index, 0–1

0.665–––

Importance of God

mean, 1–10

9.73–––

Acceptance of homosexuality

justifiable, 1–10

2.03–––

Acceptance of abortion

justifiable, 1–10

1.46–––

Acceptance of divorce

justifiable, 1–10

3.83–––

Bribery seen as justifiable

1–10

–––

Tax cheating seen as justifiable

1–10

–––

Men should get jobs first

% agreeing

27.2%–––

Men make better leaders

agree, 1–4

2.35–––

Children should learn independence

% mentioning

35.6%–––

Children should learn obedience

% mentioning

62.4%–––

Environment over economy

% choosing environment

85.5%–––

Luck matters more than work

1–10

4.52–––

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

2.65–––

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

11.9%–––

Most people can be trusted

% agreeing

–––

Confidence in government

mean, 1–4

2.29–––

Confidence in the press

mean, 1–4

2.45–––

Confidence in courts

mean, 1–4

2.34–––

Support for a strong leader

good system, 1–4

2.6–––

National pride

mean, 1–4

3.8–––

Would fight for country

% yes

69%–––

Interest in politics

mean, 1–4

1.64–––

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

–––

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

–––

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

–––

Freedom & control over life

mean, 1–10

–––

Life satisfaction

mean, 1–10

–––

Global Peace Index

1–5

–––

Military expenditure

% of GDP

1.3%–––

Economy & Trade

Output, growth, prices, and openness

theme overview →

GDP

current US$

#107/214

$35.4B2024

GDP per capita

current US$

#133/214

$5,5802024

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

#127/203

$12,680latest

GDP growth

annual %

#130/214

2.6%2024

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

#127/207

$5,1202024

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

#42/213

1.8%2024

FDI inflows

current US$

#92/201

$924M2024

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

#76/205

63.4%2024

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

#117/206

4.4%2024

Industry value added

% of GDP

#116/208

22.4%2024

Unemployment

% of labor force

#37/187

3%latest

Gini index

0–100

#118/168

39.8latest

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

#95/168

4.6%latest

People & Society

Population structure, urbanization, and migration

theme overview →

Population

people

#111/217

6.31Mlatest

Population density

people per km²

#40/216

303.1latest

Urban population

% of total

#74/215

75.4%latest

Life expectancy

years at birth

#136/217

72.1latest

Fertility rate

births per woman

#122/217

1.8latest

Net migration

people

#177/217

-23.1K2024

Population under 15

% of total

#98/217

24.8%2024

Population 65+

% of total

#113/217

8.1%2024

Health & Education

Longevity, mortality, learning, and public spending

theme overview →

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

#77/196

9.2latest

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

#75/196

10.4latest

Health expenditure

% of GDP

#32/192

9.8%latest

Physicians

per 1,000 people

#99/195

1.6latest

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

#96/160

90%latest

Education expenditure

% of GDP

#146/199

3.2%latest

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

#113/194

32.2%latest

Connectivity

Internet, mobile, and digital infrastructure

theme overview →

Internet users

% of population

#139/210

67.7%latest

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

#10/214

179.72023

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

#110/208

11.62023

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

#152/215

191.22024

Access to electricity

% of population

#146/215

98.3%latest

Energy & Climate

Energy use, electricity mix, and emissions

theme overview →

Energy use per capita

kWh

#128/198

7,157.12023

Electricity per capita

kWh

#134/202

1,009.82024

Electricity generation

TWh

#118/202

6.42024

Renewable electricity

% of generation

#18/202

92.5%2024

Fossil electricity

% of generation

#22/202

7.5%2024

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

#94/204

92024

CO₂ per capita

t per person

#68/204

1.42024

Share of global CO₂

#112/204

0%2024

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

#19/193

1.72023

Governance & Democracy

Democratic institutions, corruption, and rule of law

theme overview →

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#109/172

0.3782022

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#128/172

0.1472022

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

#120/178

332022

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#135/193

-0.6422022

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#113/193

-0.322022

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#142/193

-0.7412022

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#108/193

-0.1532022

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

#130/172

0.6142022

Values & Beliefs

What people hold sacred, permit, and pass on — from 40 years of World Values Survey interviews

theme overview →

Emancipative values

Welzel index, 0–1

#28/104

0.5181999

Secular values

Welzel index, 0–1

#1/105

0.6651999

Importance of God

mean, 1–10

#10/113

9.731999

Acceptance of homosexuality

justifiable, 1–10

#80/112

2.031999

Acceptance of abortion

justifiable, 1–10

#112/114

1.461999

Acceptance of divorce

justifiable, 1–10

#87/114

3.831999

Bribery seen as justifiable

1–10

#33/114

1.471999

Tax cheating seen as justifiable

1–10

#41/111

1.911999

Men should get jobs first

% agreeing

#65/113

27.2%1999

Men make better leaders

agree, 1–4

#57/109

2.351999

Children should learn independence

% mentioning

#72/114

35.6%1999

Children should learn obedience

% mentioning

#15/114

62.4%1999

Environment over economy

% choosing environment

#2/110

85.5%1999

Luck matters more than work

1–10

#59/109

4.521999

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

#106/193

2.652020

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

#53/193

11.9%2020

Trust & Institutions

Who people trust, and how much faith they place in government, press, and courts

theme overview →

Most people can be trusted

% agreeing

#76/114

14.6%1999

Confidence in government

mean, 1–4

#55/112

2.291999

Confidence in the press

mean, 1–4

#36/113

2.451999

Confidence in courts

mean, 1–4

#73/110

2.341999

Support for a strong leader

good system, 1–4

#42/111

2.61999

National pride

mean, 1–4

#16/114

3.81999

Would fight for country

% yes

#64/113

69%1999

Interest in politics

mean, 1–4

#114/114

1.641999

Development & Wellbeing

Composite measures of how life is going

theme overview →

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

#123/189

0.6752021

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

#88/170

0.3762021

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

#37/164

6.582025

Freedom & control over life

mean, 1–10

#35/113

7.51999

Life satisfaction

mean, 1–10

#37/114

7.51999

Global Peace Index

1–5

#119/158

2.282023

Military expenditure

% of GDP

#103/161

1.3%latest

Explore any measure in depth on its own page — try GDP per capita or electoral democracy.